Tong



y 1944- s. F. WADZINSKI 2,347,650

TONG Filed Aug. 51, 1942 2 sheets-sheet 1' INVENTOR 5 7:4 NL E V FM DZ/NS/(l,

y 1944- Q I s. F. WADZIN'SKI 2,347,650

TONG

Filed Aug. 31, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR STANLEY E'V/A DZ/NS/(l,

Patented May 2, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I 'roNG, Stanley F wadzinskl, Gary, Ind, Application August 31, 1942, Serial No. 456,823

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in tongs for coacting engagement with heavy objects', such as for example, ingot molds having hook lugs or cars.

Ingot molds are repeatedly handled by crane during their cycle of use in the making of steel and the like. Varioustypes of slings have been employed heretofore for the purpose, but generally require the manual assistance of two men known as 'hookers, who assist the craneman in engaging and disengaging the slings from the molds.

Due to the extreme heat in the molds, even when empty, the work of the hookers is hazardous, and is further made dangerous by the liability of tipping of the molds from thestools upon which they rest if a sling is not securely engaged with a mold.

My invention contemplates a self-acting or automatic tong whichwill positively engage with and disengage from one or more ingot molds or the like by the simple expedient of moving the tong over said mold or molds.

The invention also has in view the provision,

in a single tong, of means for handling a plu-' rality of molds in constantly spaced relation so as to facilitate the cycle of use of the molds in service, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

Additional objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of my improved tong positioned to engage a mold;

Fig. 2 is a similar view, partly in section, showing the tong in engaged position, and illustrating the initial step for effecting disengagement;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the tong engaged with a pair of molds, and showing a second step for disengagement;

Fig. 4 is a top plan of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing the tong employed with a single mold.

Referring to the drawings, the tong preferably includes a rigid yoke 2 having a hook loop 3 extending thereabove for engagement with acrane hook I,

Hinged at 5 to opposite sides of the yoke 2 are a pair of stirrups 6 in the form of plates, hinged ,upon spaced parallel horizontal pivotal axes and freely depending from said hinges. Each of the stirrups has one or more work-engaging apertures 'I therein spaced beneath the hinges 5, the location of said apertures and the length of the stirrups being sufiicient to permit the latter to straddle over and embrace the work, as for example, an ingot mold M, with the said apertures in engagement with the hook lugs or ears 8 g of the mold, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5.

The stirrups 6 are slightly bent longitudinally and have outwardly flared lower terminals 9, the mass of the, stirrups being so distributed as to normally cause said stirrups to be urged inwardly toward each other and against an intervening stop in depending therebetween from the yoke 2, as particularly shown in Fig. 1. In such normal or closed position, the distance between the lower portions of the stirrups or the throat a of the tong is sufliciently small to insure spreading of the stirrups by and upon straddling the said lower portions thereofover the mold M or the like, in the manner shown by Fig. 2. In addition, the said normal'spacing of the stirrups by said stop permits the tong to stand erect upon the terminals 9 when not in use.

Hence, upon lowering the tong over a mold M,

the flared lower terminals 9 will engage the top I thereof and automatically spread the stirrups, guiding the latter in their continued downward travel over the hook lugs or ears 8 of the mold,

as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. As the apertures 1 come into register with the hook lugs 8, the gravitational action of the stirrups will move said stirrups inwardly to engagement beneath said lugs, whereupon the mold may be liftedby the tong without danger of disengagement so long as the weight of the mold is hanging thereon.

In addition to the central apertures l for lifting a single mold as in Fig. 5, I provide additional apertures on either side thereof, said apertures being designated l and being spaced from each other a distance substantially equal to that between the hook lugs 8 of adjacent molds M when positioned on a stool S, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. By this means, the craneman is able to handle and transport two molds at a time, and such molds will always be spaced for such handling and for positioning on the stool, for coating as well as for pouring, thereby effecting a considerable saving in time and handling costs.

Attention is also called to the fact that the respective apertures I and l of the stirrups are transversely aligned so that the molds are always maintained square .on the stool, particularly when the tong is used with a crane having a fixed hook, and since the stripper cran generally does not rotate, the difliculty heretofore had in gripping molds out of square with the stool by the stripper is eliminated.

To disengage the tong, either from a single or pair of molds, the tong is lowered to further spread the stirrups 6, as by means of outwardly flared lips H at the upper portions of the apertures 1 and I engaging the outer contours of the hook lugs 8. (See dotted line position of Fig. 2.)

As the apertures I or la are thus disengaged from lugs 8, the craneman moves the tong transversely along the molds, w shown by the dotted lines in .Fig. .3, until the apertures are out of register with the mold lugs 8, and the tong may then be elevated ofl of the molds, the solid portions of the stirrups 6 between and laterally beyond the apertures riding upwardly over the mold lugs without engagement therewith.

To assist such side movement of the tong, the

vertical edges of the stirrups are outwardly flared at l2.

Thus, it will be seen that I have provided a sim. 'ple and efllcient tong having a self-acting grip for positive engagement with the work or mold, either individually or in series, and one capable of being easily and quickly disengaged therefrom. From a safety standpoint, the tong does not require hookers vor workmen to assist in engaging or disengaging the mold or molds, thereby dispensing with the necessity of such workmen being near the molds while the crane is operating.

Various changes and modifications are contemplated within the scope of the following .claims.

'..I'claim:

1. A tong for ingot molds and the like having hook lugs thereon, including a yoke, a pair of depending stirrups freely hinged thereto, a stop normally separating the stirrups, said stirrups comprising flat plates of substantial width each having a lug-receiving aperture therein and being adapted to be spread apart by straddling said stirrups over the mold or the like, the mass of the 2. A tong for ingot molds and the like having hook lugs thereon, including a yoke, a pair of depending stirrups freely hinged thereto, a stop normally separating the stirrups, said stirrups being of plate form of substantial width each having a central lug-receiving aperture therein and second and third apertures spaced on either side of said central aperture. said stirrups being adapted to be spread apart by straddling said stirruns over the molds or the like, saidstirrups hav-' ing outwardly flared lower terminal portions and outwardly flared vertical edge portions, the mass of the respective stirrups being disposed to urge said stirrups inwardly toward each other and embace said molds or the like upon registration and engagement of the apertures with the hook lugs of the molds or the like.

3. A tong for ingot molds and the like having hook lugs thereon, including a yoke, a pair of depending stirrups freely hinged thereto, a stop normally separating the stirrups, said stirrups being of plate form of substantial width each having a pair of lug-receiving apertures therein and being adapted to be spread apart by straddling said stirrups over the molds or the like, said stirrups having outwardly flared lower terminal portions and outwardly flared vertical edge portions, the mass of the respective stirrups being disposed to urge said stirrups inwardly toward each other and embrace said molds or the like upon registration and engagement of the apertures with the hook lugs of the molds or the like.

4. A tong for ingot molds and the like having hook lugs thereon, including a yoke, a pair of depending stirrups freely hinged thereto, a stop normally separating the stirrups, said stirrups being of plate form each having a lug-receiving aperture therein and being adapted to be spread apart by straddling said stirrups over the mold or the like, said stirrups having outwardly flared lower'ternflnal portions and outwardly flared vertical edge portions, the mass of the respective stirrups being disposed to urge said stirrups inwardly toward each other and embrace said mold STANLEY F. WADZINSKI. 

